Method for performing multilingual translation through a communication network and a communication system and information recording medium for the same method

ABSTRACT

The invention realizes a quick and inexpensive translation service in many languages by means of a single Web site (firmware) on a communication network.  
     In order to perform a quick translation in many languages requested through a communication network, the invention has been composed so that a multilingual translation Web site apparatus  2  functioning as a Web site (firmware) consisting of one apparatus and one translation processing system receives language data of a subject of translation from a translation requester apparatus  4.    
     The multilingual translation Web site apparatus  2  changes its processing form adaptively to the language of the subject of translation received, and automatically selects language data for translation. A translator apparatus  3  performs translation of the language data received from the multilingual translation Web site apparatus  2.  The multilingual translation Web site apparatus  2  receives and enters the translated data from the translator apparatus  3  into the multilingual processing database, and automatically changes its processing form of translation adaptively to the language after translation, and enables the translation requester apparatus  4  to receive the translated data.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for performingmultilingual translation through a communication network, performing andproviding a translation in many languages requested by utilizing acommunication network, and a communication system and informationrecording medium for the same method.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Up to now, an example of utilizing a communication network(Internet for example) under a TCP/IP (Transmission ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol) environment is known as a multilingualtranslation service of this kind.

[0003]FIG. 18 is a block diagram for explaining the architecture of aconventional Web (Web: World Wide Web) site for performing amultilingual translation, and FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a procedurefor performing the multilingual translation by the Web site of FIG. 18.And FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a procedure for maintenance of themultilingual translation by the Web site of FIG. 18.

[0004] In this example, as shown in FIG. 18, a Web site connected to aTCP/IP transmission circuit network has been built for each of Japanese,English, German, French, and so forth in many languages. A Web serverprocesses the respective languages (ranging from Japanese to French andso forth) in the respective Web sites. Such a Web site is a processingsystem of hardware having software installed in it, namely, anindividual firmware.

[0005] This architecture is a structure in which a UNIX workstation orthe like to be a Web site is connected to such a digital circuit networkas ISDN or the like, and a general-purpose small computer to be used bya translator is connected and further a general-purpose small computer,a UNIX workstation or the like to be used by a translation requester isconnected to the digital circuit network.

[0006] In this communication network structure, a so-called two-waycommunication through the Internet communication is performed by a Webbrowser (application).

[0007] In such a multilingual translation service, in a process ofmultilingual translation of FIG. 19, a master site is downloaded andcopied through a TCP/IP transmission circuit network (step S1), and dataof HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) of its language portion areextracted and converted into language data (step S2). Next, the languagedata is translated into a destination language (step S3). After this,the translated language is converted into HTML data (step S4). Further,the language HTML data are ported into a copy site and adjusted (stepS5). These processes are repeated for necessary languages.

[0008] And in a maintenance process of FIG. 20, a Web administrator isnotified of change of a master site (step S11), and a language portionneeding to be translated is selected (step S12). HTML data of thelanguage portion are extracted and converted into language data (stepS13). Next, the language data are translated (step S14) and thesetranslated language data are converted into HTML data (step S15). Next,the language HTML data are ported into a Web site and adjusted (stepS16). These steps on and after the step of extracting and convertingHTML data of the language portion into language data are repeated fornecessary languages. In this way, a multilingual translation serviceutilizing the Internet is provided.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In such a conventional example as described above, a Web site foreach language in many languages using the Internet is built and each Webserver processes a language. Therefore, it has a disadvantage that it isenlarged in processing scale and apparatus scale.

[0010] The present invention attempts to solve such a problem of theprior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a methodfor performing multilingual translation through a communication network,said method making it possible to perform translation in many languagesby means of a single Web site on a communication network and suppressits enlargement in processing scale and apparatus scale, and acommunication system and information recording medium for the samemethod.

[0011] In order to attain the above object, a method for performingmultilingual translation through a communication network according tothe present invention, performing and providing translation in manylanguages requested, said method comprising a step of receiving languagedata of a subject of translation, a step of changing its processing formadaptively to the language of a subject of translation requested, a stepof automatically selecting language data for translation, a step ofperforming translation, a step of entering the translated data into amultilingual processing database, a step of automatically changing theprocessing form of translation adaptively to a language aftertranslation, and a step of enabling a requester side to receive thetranslated data.

[0012] A method of the present invention is characterized by performingmultilingual translation through a single Web site consisting of oneapparatus and one translation processing system.

[0013] And a method of the present invention is characterized in thatsaid step of automatically selecting language data for translationgenerates language data and image data being non-language data in mastercontents by means of a template. Further, a method of the presentinvention is characterized by converting language data contained in saidimage data from a text form into a binary form and replacing thetext-form data with the binary-form data.

[0014] And a method of the present invention is characterized in thatsaid step of performing translation is an automatic machine translationand/or a manual input translation.

[0015] Further, a method of the present invention is characterized bygiving a page record and a text record as contents information forprocessing each page in said multilingual processing database.

[0016] And a method of the present invention is characterized in thatsaid page record comprises;

[0017] a page ID (page identification): a symbol number being unique toeach page,

[0018] a language ID: a symbol number defined for each language,

[0019] a page address: URL of a home page,

[0020] a date of generation: a date at which the page was generated,

[0021] a generator ID: a symbol number of a person who newly generatedthe page,

[0022] a date of update: a date at which the page was updated last,

[0023] an updater ID: a symbol number of a person who updated it last,

[0024] a customer ID: a symbol number assigned to each customer, and

[0025] a received order ID: a symbol number determined on reception ofan order,

[0026] HTML: a page source text in the form of HTML.

[0027] Further, a method of the present invention is characterized inthat said text record comprises;

[0028] a text ID (text identification): a symbol number which is uniqueto each text and is the same in any language,

[0029] a language ID: a symbol number defined for each language,

[0030] the maximum number of characters: the maximum number ofcharacters capable of being displayed,

[0031] the number of characters: the number of characters actuallydisplayed,

[0032] a character string: a character string in itself, and

[0033] a translator ID: a symbol number determined for each translator.

[0034] And a method of the present invention is characterized bydetermining in advance the ratio of the number of the smallest legiblefont characters to the number of characters being displayed on thescreen for each language, and associating the maximum number ofcharacters of a text data record with a symbol number defined for eachlanguage by means of this ratio.

[0035] Further, a method of the present invention is characterized byobtaining the number of characters in a language after translation onthe basis of a table storing in advance the ratio of change in number ofcharacters in a language before translation and in a language aftertranslation.

[0036] And a method of the present invention is characterized by settinga storage area adaptively to said maximum number of characters, judgingwhether or not characters of a language after translation can beaccommodated in the storage area of the maximum number of characters incomparison with the number of characters of the language beforetranslation through computing the number of characters after translationand, in case that the maximum number of characters after translation canbe accommodated in the storage area, performing the translation, and incase that the maximum number of characters cannot be accommodated in thestorage area, reducing the number of characters of the language beforetranslation so as not to change the meaning.

[0037] Further, a method of the present invention is characterized inthat said Web site consisting of one apparatus and one translationprocessing system performs a multilingual translation process and itsmaintenance process and as the multilingual translation process,generates master contents by means of a template, next translateslanguage data of the master contents, repeats these generation andtranslation processes, stores the language data together with controlinformation into a multilingual processing database, further convertsthe language data into HTML data and writes them into the mastercontents on request, and as the maintenance process, monitors change ofthe master contents, automatically selects a language data file needingto be translated, translates the language data, repeats these monitor,automatic selection and translation processes for necessary languages,and reenters the translated language data into the multilingualprocessing database.

[0038] And a method of the present invention is characterized byexchanging data with a database management database and a contentslanguage database through said database access management process,performing requests including reference, addition, update and deletionwith respect to a multilingual processing database and the outside, andobtaining the respective results of these requests through said databaseaccess management process.

[0039] A multilingual translation communication system of the presentinvention is a multilingual translation communication system performingand providing translation in many languages requested through acommunication network, said system comprising a multilingual translationWeb site apparatus for functioning as a Web site composed of oneapparatus and one translation processing system connected to acommunication network and performing a multilingual translation,

[0040] a plurality of translator apparatuses for performing translationin many languages, and a plurality of translation requester apparatusesfor requesting the multilingual translation Web site apparatus side oftranslation, wherein said multilingual translation Web site apparatusreceives language data of a subject of translation from a translationrequester apparatus, changes its processing form adaptively to thelanguage of the subject of translation which the multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus has received, and automatically selectslanguage data for translation, and wherein said translator apparatusperforms translation of language data received from said multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus, and said multilingual translation Website apparatus receives translated data from said translator apparatusand enters them into a multilingual translation processing database andautomatically changes its translation processing form adaptively to thelanguage after translation, and said translation requester apparatusreceives the translated data.

[0041] A system of the present invention is characterized in that saidmultilingual translation Web site apparatus is provided with a Webserver, and this Web server is provided with a master Web site portionfor processing master contents composed of language data and/ornon-language data and a multilingual processing database.

[0042] And a system of the present invention is characterized in that anet-bank apparatus which makes it possible to perform settlement of atransmission fee between said multilingual translation Web siteapparatus side and a translator apparatus side and/or between themultilingual translation Web site apparatus side for performingtranslation and a translation requester apparatus side is furtherconnected to the communication network.

[0043] Further, a system of the present invention is characterized inthat said communication network is a public wire communication networkor a public radio communication network or a non-public wirecommunication network or a non-public radio communication network undera TCP/IP environment.

[0044] And a system of the present invention is characterized in that atleast one of said multilingual translation Web site apparatus, saidtranslator apparatus and said translation requester apparatus isprovided with a radio communication means for performing a radio-channelconnection to a radio communication network under a TCP/IP environment.

[0045] An information recording medium of the present invention ischaracterized by storing in it a program for enabling a substantialcomputer to control a process of receiving language data of a subject oftranslation through a communication network, a process of changing itsprocessing form adaptively to the language of a subject of translationrequested, a process of automatically selecting language data fortranslation, a process of performing a translation transferred throughthe communication network, a process of entering the translated datainto a multilingual processing database, a process of automaticallychanging its translation processing form adaptively to the languageafter translation, and a process of enabling a requester side to receivethe translated data through the communication network.

[0046] An information recording medium of the present invention ischaracterized by further storing in it a program for enabling asubstantial computer to control at least one of a process of generatinglanguage data and image data being non-language data by means of atemplate, a process of converting language data contained in image datafrom a text form into a binary form and replacing the text-form datawith the binary-form data, a process of giving a page record and a textrecord as contents information for processing each page in amultilingual processing database, and a process of judging whether ornot characters to be obtained after translation can be accommodated in astorage area of the maximum number of characters through computing thenumber of characters after translation relative to the number ofcharacters of a language before translation.

[0047] Such a method for performing multilingual translation through acommunication network and a communication system and informationrecording medium for the same method make it possible to perform atranslation service in many languages by means of a single Web site(single Web site/firmware) consisting of one apparatus and onetranslation processing system on a communication network and suppressits enlargement in processing scale and apparatus scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an embodimentof the present invention.

[0049]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a Web server forcarrying out the present invention.

[0050]FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an outline of performance ofmultilingual translation of the present invention.

[0051]FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a work process in amultilingual translation Web site in FIG. 1.

[0052]FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining a functional compositionfor performing the work process of FIG. 4.

[0053]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of generatinga multilingual translation by a functional composition of the presentinvention.

[0054]FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure ofmaintenance of a multilingual translation by a functional composition ofthe present invention.

[0055]FIG. 8 is diagrams representing contents information in anembodiment, in which: (a) is a page record and

[0056] (b) is a text record.

[0057]FIG. 9 is a figure for explaining the relation between a pagerecord and a text record in the embodiment.

[0058]FIG. 10 is a figure for explaining concrete contents in a textrecord conversion in the embodiment, in which: (a) is a Japanese (JP)text record and

[0059] (b) is an English (US) text record obtained by translation.

[0060]FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining a process in amultilingual processing database in the embodiment.

[0061]FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining generation of master contentsby means of a template in the embodiment.

[0062]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing ratios in font of other languages toJapanese in the embodiment.

[0063]FIG. 14 is a diagram showing change in number of characters aftertranslation from Japanese into other languages.

[0064]FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a processing state of generation ofmaster Web contents in a translation process in the embodiment.

[0065]FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a processing state of generation ofmultilingual contents in a translation process in the embodiment.

[0066]FIG. 17 shows a block diagram showing the configuration of a mainpart of a mobile communication network.

[0067]FIG. 18 is a block diagram for explaining the architecture of aconventional Web site for performing multilingual translation.

[0068]FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure ofperforming a multilingual translation in a conventional example.

[0069]FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure ofmaintenance of a multilingual translation in a conventional example.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0070] Next, a method for performing multilingual translation through acommunication network and a communication system and informationrecording medium for the same method are described in detail withreference to the drawings.

[0071]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an embodimentof the present invention.

[0072] In FIG. 1, this example shows a composition example of theInternet under a TCP/IP environment.

[0073] In this example, a multilingual translation Web site apparatus(platform/Web site) 2 for providing a multilingual translation servicethrough the Internet and a plurality of translator apparatuses 3 forperforming translation in many languages are connected to a digitalsignal communication network 1 such as ISDN (Integrated Services DigitalNetwork) or the like. Further, a plurality of translation requesterapparatuses 4 for requesting a multilingual translation Web site 2 sideof translation through the Internet and a net-bank apparatus 5 forperforming a net settlement (electronic commercial transaction) of atranslation fee are connected to the digital wire communication network1.

[0074] Translation fees to be settled by a net settlement include atranslation fee in case that the translation requester apparatus 4 siderequests the multilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 side oftranslation and a translation fee in case that the multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus 2 side requests a translator apparatus 3side of translation.

[0075] The digital wire communication network 1 is well known incomposition and transmission method as ISDN, and is of a networkconfiguration in which a digital exchange (PBX) is installed in atransmission circuit network.

[0076] This example uses a UNIX workstation as the multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus 2 in FIG. 1 and uses a general-purposesmall computer used by an individual translator as the translatorapparatus 3. In a translation company and the like, for example, a UNIXworkstation system is used.

[0077] And this example uses a UNIX workstation system as a net-bankapparatus 5 in FIG. 1 and further uses here a general-purpose smallcomputer personally used as the translation requester apparatus 4. Incase that a translation requester is a company or the like, for example,a UNIX workstation system is used.

[0078] And this example uses a UNIX workstation as the net-bankapparatus 5 in FIG. 1, and further uses a general-purpose small computerto be used by an individual person as the translation requesterapparatus 4. In case that a translation requester is a company or thelike, for example a UNIX workstation system is used.

[0079] Hardware of a general-purpose small computer to be used as thetranslator apparatus 3 and the translation requester apparatus 4 is of apublicly known composition. That is to say, it is provided with aninterface (I/F) circuit to be connected to a circuit connecting device(digital terminating device DSU, terminal adaptor TA and the like) aswell as a microprocessor (MPU) composed of a CPU, a ROM, a working RAMand the like. And this general-purpose small computer is provided with areader/writer device for installing a communication protocol and aprogram for “performing multilingual translation of the presentinvention” described in detail in the following and for reading/writingprocess data through an information recording medium (floppy disk (FD),CD-ROM, detachable memory MS). Further, this general-purpose smallcomputer is provided with a monitor device such as a color liquidcrystal display (LCD) device and an input device consisting of akeyboard and a coordinates input device (mouse, input pad and the like),and is further provided with an input/output (I/O) circuit forperforming a data input/output process to the respective portions. Andthis general-purpose small computer is provided with a memory forstoring process data in it and particularly a multilingual processingdatabase using a hard disk device performing a file process for“performing multilingual translation of the present invention”, and isprovided with an I/F circuit for performing drive-connection with aprinter and the like.

[0080] The UNIX workstations of the multilingual translation Web siteapparatus 2 and the net-bank apparatus 5 in FIG. 1 are publicly known inhardware composition.

[0081] This UNIX workstation system is provided with a circuitconnecting device comprising a DSU, a router and the like, a Web serverbeing a main computer for performing a basic communication process and adatabase. And this UNIX workstation system is generally provided withalso an edition server for reediting such distributed data as graphics,characters and the like adaptively to application (for example, ani-mode mobile telephone).

[0082] And such a UNIX workstation is provided with an interface circuitfor installing a firewall application into a Web server and connectingan electronic mail/image (FAX) server or a general-purpose smallcomputer. Further, a configuration in which such a UNIX workstation isprovided with a LAN server for performing a sequence in this apparatus,an FTP server for performing an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) filetransfer, an interworking function (IWF) server for processingconnection on the Internet or the like and a Web server dedicated toexecuting a firewall application for prevention of invasion, and thelike is publicly known. In addition to these configurations, the UNIXworkstation is provided with a reader/writer device for installing acommunication protocol and a program for “performing multilingualtranslation of the present invention” through an information recordingmedium and reading/writing process data, and a multilingual processingdatabase performing various kinds of file processes (data storage andretrieval/multilingual processing database engine using a relationalsystem or network system) for “performing multilingual translation ofthe present invention”. And in addition to this configuration, thenet-bank apparatus 5 is generally provided with a DNS server used for adistributed name management system (DNS: Domain Name System) and an SSLserver for performing an encryption communication protocol (SSL: SecureSockets Layer) used in an encryption transmission for various kinds ofsecurity protection.

[0083] Such a Web server under a TCP/IP environment is implemented as amultifunctional apparatus by using a computer and having a communicationprotocol and a program installed in it. And the Web server has the samecomposition as a general-purpose small computer, and may be changed inarchitecture adaptively to said “performance of multilingual translationof the present invention”.

[0084] In this case it is enough to make its composition inconsideration of traffic volume in processing a communication protocoland in consideration of the quantity of process data in data processing.For example, such a system may be composed in consideration of aduplexed CPU configuration, disposition of a plurality of multilingualprocessing databases, use of a mass storage and the like.

[0085]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a composition example of a mainpart of a Web server for carrying out the present invention.

[0086] This example is provided with an I/F circuit 10 which isconnected to a bus of a UNIX workstation and performs an interfaceprocess with another apparatus not illustrated. And this example isprovided with a microprocessor (MPU) 11 to be connected to the I/Fcircuit 10 and a bus. The microprocessor 11 is composed of a workingRAM, a RAM having a boot control program stored in it, an input/output(I/O) circuit, a CPU and the like. The microprocessor 11 is providedwith an I/F circuit 12 for connecting with a general-purpose smallcomputer and a reader/writer device 13.

[0087] The reader/writer device 13 installs a communication protocol anda program for “performing multilingual translation of the presentinvention” through an information recording medium (floppy disk (FD),CD-ROM or detachable memory MS) and reads/writes process data.

[0088] And the microprocessor 11 is provided with a video RAM (V-RAM) 14and a character font conversion circuit 15 for converting/generating thesize of characters displayed for each language in many languages. Thischaracter font conversion circuit 15 is composed of a RAM and the likecomprising a conversion table for converting each language character ata ratio of the smallest font. Conversion/generation of the size ofdisplayed characters of each language is explained in the following (seeFIG. 12).

[0089] Output of the V-RAM 14 is transferred to a monitor device 16connected to a bus of a multidrop mode. And the microprocessor 11performs data processing for “performing multilingual translation of thepresent invention” with a multilingual processing database apparatus 17connected to the bus.

[0090] The multilingual processing database apparatus 17 can be alsodistributively disposed at a remote place, as described with referenceto the following FIG. 11.

[0091] Next, the process and operation of this embodiment are described.

[0092] First, an application (communication protocol and program) forcommunication operation of each device in FIG. 1 is explained.

[0093] Each apparatus shown in FIG. 1 performs a communicationconnecting process by means of TCP/IP publicly known as an Internetcommunication, a language processing function (writing and speechprocessing, JPEG static image processing or MPEG dynamic imageprocessing by means of data compression) by a language such as HTML(Hyper Text Markup Language), XML (eXtensible Markup Language) and thelike, transfer by means of a hyperlink function, a two-way communicationby means of HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), file transfer by FTP,and an external application by means of CGI (Common Gateway Interface).Each apparatus is equipped with a Web browser (application) forperforming an electronic mail communication and Internet surfing forthis purpose.

[0094] In FIG. 1, each apparatus performs a file transfer by publiclyknown IP packets in two-way communication through a TCP/IP link. Such atransfer process on the Internet is performed by an object pointingoperation in HTTP (object pointing to a radio button, anchor, pushbutton or the like by a coordinates input device such as a mouse or thelike: commonly called “click”). In this case, an end descriptioncharacter (FIN) of opening of a TCP connection, an acknowledgementcharacter (ACK) and the like are stored in a file format, and a filetransfer is performed through identification of them, but description ofthem is omitted in the following description.

[0095] Next, the digital wire communication circuit network 1 shown inFIG. 1 is described in transmission form.

[0096] The digital wire communication circuit network 1 shown in FIG. 1transmits IP packets at transmission rates of 64 kbits/sec, 384kbits/sec and 1.5 Mbits/sec, for example. At a transmission rate of 64kbits/sec, it performs a “2B+D(information channels of 32 kbps×2+controlchannel of 16 kbps)” transmission through a packet switching procedureX.31 (I.430/I.431, Q.921/Q.931,

[0097] X.25 Protocol) by ITU-T Recommendations. It is acceptable also toapply another high-speed transmission method (asymmetric digitaltransmission, for example) and to apply a high-speed communicationmethod (gigabit high-speed data communication method, for example).

[0098] And since a general-purpose small computer for the translatorapparatus 3 and the translation requester apparatus 4 shown ing FIG. 1performs a well-known operation, description of it is omitted.

[0099] Further, a UNIX workstation for the multilingual translation Website apparatus 2 and the net-bank apparatus 5 in FIG. 1 performs asequence for “performing multilingual translation of the presentinvention” through a Web server, a LAN server and the like. For example,it performs its electronic mail communication or Internet surfingthrough performing the respective sequences of a CSMA/CD random accessmethod similar to an Ethernet LAN or the like and an RPC (RemoteProcedure Call) remote call.

[0100] The general-purpose small computer or UNIX workstation performs“performance of multilingual translation of the present invention” bymeans of a communication protocol and a program executed by a CPU(including also a CPU of the Web server). These communication protocoland program are installed into each apparatus together with saidgeneral-purpose communication protocol and program in combination with acommunication protocol and program specialized in “performingmultilingual translation of the present invention”.

[0101] This “performance of multilingual translation of the presentinvention” is provided as an information recording medium (FD, CD-ROM ordetachable memory for example) having its program stored in it. In otherwords, it is offered as a general-purpose package capable of being onthe market.

[0102] Next, “performance of multilingual translation of the presentinvention” based on the operation of each apparatus is described.

[0103] First, an outline of “performance of multilingual translation ofthe present invention” is described.

[0104]FIG. 3 is a rough sequence diagram of “performance of multilingualtranslation of the present invention”.

[0105] Referring to FIG. 3, the multilingual translation Web siteapparatus 2 takes in a translation request from a translation requesterapparatus 4 through an electronic mail or a Web site (home page/HTTP)opened to the public by the multilingual translation Web site apparatus2 through the digital wire communication circuit network 1. The languageof received information is one of many kinds of languages (Japanese, forexample).

[0106] Therefore, a general-purpose Web browser which the multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus 2 is provided with cannot read such alanguage on occasion.

[0107] Therefore, a Web browser of an application capable of readingmany languages is installed. For example, an application for performingjudgement by tracking a language possible to be transferred is installedin advance. This tracking is to compare a part of a transferredcharacter string with character strings of many languages stored inadvance. And like “cookie”, its language is judged by identifying thatit is a former visitor to the home page. It is acceptable to identify anavigation language or navigation browser language returned by theinstalled Web browser.

[0108] Next, the multilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 transfersa manuscript for translation requested together with the time limit ofdelivery and special notes to a translator apparatus 3 side capable ofperforming translation between languages specified by the translationrequest. This is performed through a “multilingual translation network”in which translators performing translation in many languages areorganized on the Internet.

[0109] Next, the translator apparatus 3 side performs translationbetween the specified languages. In this case, a translator installs atranslation software into a general-purpose small computer of thetranslator apparatus 3 and performs its machine translation, or performsa manual input translation by means of a word processor software andmakes a translation writing by its electronic data and transfers ittogether with a bill to the multilingual translation Web site apparatus2.

[0110] In case that a translator apparatus 3 performs an ;automaticmachine translation, the translator apparatus 3 performs a translationapplication of the multilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 throughCGI or installs a translation application in it and performs thetranslation application in a stand-alone state. And the multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus 2 side may perform an automatic machinetranslation and then transfer its translation writing to a translatorapparatus 3, and may have a translator brush up the translationincluding examination.

[0111] The multilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 stores thetransferred translation writing electronic data into a multilingualprocessing database (the multilingual processing database apparatus 17in FIG. 2). After this, an electronic transaction settlement (transferof fund) to this translator (translator apparatus 3) using a debit cardor the like is performed between the net-bank apparatus 5 and themultilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 to pay a translation feeto the translator (translator apparatus 3).

[0112] After this, the multilingual translation Web site apparatus 2notifies the translation requester apparatus 4 side of the completedtranslation writing together with a bill through an HTTP link with anelectronic mail or the Web site (home page). After this notification,the translation requester apparatus 4 side inputs an identification codeID and a password specified at the time of notification into themultilingual translation Web site apparatus 2, and receives and storesthe completed translation electronic data into the multilingualprocessing database.

[0113] Further, after this the multilingual translation Web siteapparatus 2 performs an electronic transaction settlement (transfer offund) using a debit card or the like through the translation requesterapparatus 4 and the net-bank apparatus 5 to receive a translation feefrom the translation requester apparatus 4 side.

[0114] In these processes, by giving an identification code ID describedlater, the kinds of languages, the number of displayed characters of awriting, a translator, the time limit of delivery and the like aremanaged and dealt with. And a settlement of accounts between themultilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 side and the translationrequester apparatus 4 side, and a settlement of accounts between themultilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 side and

[0115] the translator apparatus 3 side may utilize various methods ofpayment (bank transfer of fund, check payment and the like) using nonet-bank apparatus 5 in particular.

[0116] In such a way, it is possible to perform multilingual translationby means of one Web site (a single Web site) consisting of one apparatusand one translation processing system, and to suppress the enlargementof its processing scale and apparatus scale.

[0117]FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a translation process (working)in the multilingual translation Web site apparatus 2, and FIG. 5 is ablock diagram for explaining a functional composition for performing thetranslation process of FIG. 4. A process of translation is substantiallyin the following procedure: 1) a step of changing a master Web site(refer to detailed description with reference to the following FIG. 12)on the basis of a language translation in many languages,

[0118] 2) a step of automatically selecting language data fortranslation excepting non-language data (image data of graphics andpictures) from master contents of the master Web site,

[0119] 3) a step of translating the language data, said translationbeing performed through a “multilingual translation network” in whichtranslators performing translation in many languages are organized onthe Internet, wherein this translation may be either an automaticmachine translation as describe above or a manual input translation,

[0120] 4) a step of entering again the language data translated in andtransferred from the “multilingual translation network” into amultilingual processing database, and

[0121] 5) a step of automatically changing the Web site.

[0122]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of performing amultilingual translation by means of a functional composition of FIG. 5,and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of performing maintenanceof a multilingual translation by means of a functional composition ofFIG. 5.

[0123] In FIG. 6, master contents are generated by means of a template(step S21). Next, language data in the master contents are translated(step S22). Routines for the processes in steps S21 and S22 are repeatedfor necessary languages. Next, the translated language data are storedtogether with control information into the multilingual processingdatabase (step S23). Further, the language data are converted into HTMLdata and then are written into the master contents on request (stepS24).

[0124] In FIG. 7, the change of the master contents is monitored (stepS31). A language data file needing to be translated is automaticallyselected (step S32). The language data is translated (step S33).Routines for the processes in steps S31 to S33 are repeated fornecessary languages. Next, the translated language data are reenteredinto the multilingual processing database (step S34).

[0125] Next, a main part of “performance of multilingual translation ofthe present invention” is described in detail.

[0126]FIG. 8 shows contents information for managing a translationprocess (working).

[0127]FIG. 8(a) represents a page record and FIG. 8(b) represents a textrecord.

[0128] In FIG. 8(a), a page record of contents manages a translationprocess by means of the following identification code IDs and dates: apage ID: a symbol number being unique to each page,

[0129] a language ID: a symbol number defined for each language,

[0130] a page address: URL of the home page,

[0131] a date of generation: a date at which the page was generated,

[0132] a generator ID: a symbol number of a person who newly generatedthe page,

[0133] a date of update: a date at which the page was updated last,

[0134] an updater ID: a symbol number of a person who updated it last,

[0135] a customer ID: a symbol number assigned to each customer, and

[0136] a received order ID: a symbol number determined on reception ofan order, and

[0137] HTML: a page source text in the form of HTML.

[0138] In FIG. 8(b), a text record manages a work process by means ofthe following identification code IDs and character information: a textID: a symbol number being unique to each text (the same ID in anylanguage),

[0139] a language ID: a symbol number defined for each language,

[0140] the maximum number of characters: the maximum number ofcharacters capable of being displayed,

[0141] the number of characters: the number of characters actuallydisplayed, and

[0142] a translator ID: a symbol number determined for each translator.

[0143] For the relation between the page record and the text recordshown in FIG. 8, a special tag (represented as MLWSTEXT in this case)for “performing multilingual translation of the present invention” on atext portion displayed in a page source of the HTML field in the pagerecord by means of a special editor is automatically inserted. The textID of a text record is specified in this special tag. And in case of“alt (alternative newsgroup hierarchy)” in an image tag, a special(MLWSTEXT) tag is directly embedded.

[0144]FIG. 9 is a figure for explaining the relation between the pagerecord and text record, and FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining concretecontents of this conversion.

[0145] In case of actually transferring a translation writing in anotherlanguage according to access (request through reading the home page of amultilingual translation service) from a translation requester(translation requester apparatus 4), a text ID of a language having thesame language ID as a language to be converted having a special(MLWSTEXT) tag and a special (MLWSTEXT) ID key is retrieved andreplaced. Since the special tag has been erased at this time,

[0146] a desired language page is only displayed at the translationrequester side.

[0147] In other words, a fact that it has been converted into anotherlanguage is not recognized by the translation requester (translationrequester apparatus 4).

[0148] In FIG. 10, (a) is a text record showing a concrete example ofJapanese (JP), and (b) shows a text record of a concrete example English(US) obtained by translation.

[0149] Next, a multilingual processing database is described.

[0150]FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining a process in amultilingual processing database (multilingual processing databaseapparatus 17 in FIG. 2).

[0151] In FIG. 11, the multilingual processing database performs itsdata processing by executing an access management program. This dataprocessing requests reference, addition, update, deletion and the likewith respect to the multilingual processing database, and acquires theirresults by means of the access management program.

[0152] And database management data are exchanged by executing thedatabase access management program. These database management data arean actual multilingual processing database position and an actualmultilingual processing database name corresponding to a contentslanguage and the like. And data are exchanged with a contents languagedatabase by executing the database access management program. Thiscontents language database is composed of a plurality of databaseservers.

[0153] In such a way, the multilingual processing database is providedwith a plurality of servers, which can be distributively disposed. Thedatabase acquires an actual server name, server position, multilingualprocessing database name and the like from database management data inresponse to a request for a language ID, page ID and the like, andaccesses a multilingual processing database desired out of databaseservers.

[0154] Next, the change of a master Web site is described.

[0155] The change of a master Web site corresponds to “automaticallyselecting language data for translation excepting non-language data(graphics and photographs from master contents of a master Web site”explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0156]FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining generation of master contentsby means of a template.

[0157] In FIG. 12, these templates includes templates used forautomatically selecting image data (containing language data), imagedata (containing no language data) and text data, respectively. Thereare plural pieces of image data (containing language data), pluralpieces of image data (containing no language data) and plural pieces oftext data, said plural pieces of data being respectively different indata quantity from one another. Language data are automatically selectedby means of such a template.

[0158] Further, with reference to FIG. 12, translation of language datain an image, the ratio of the smallest font capable of being displayedin a home page, and the change in number of characters after translationare described.

[0159] (a) In case of translating also language data in an image Suchlanguage data in an image are dealt with in the same way as “alt” (whichis converted from a text form into a binary form). The process ofmodifying language data in an image is a human work. A process ofreplacement or the like is dealt with in the same way as text recorddata.

[0160] (b) Ratio of the smallest font capable of being substantiallydisplayed (in a home page) according to languages The ratio of thesmallest font is determined in advance in a table (a character fontconversion circuit 15).

[0161]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the ratios of other language fonts toJapanese.

[0162]FIG. 13 shows the ratios of English “0.8”, German “0.8”, . . . ,Chinese “1.1” to Japanese “1”. These correspond to the degrees ofcomplexity of characters of the respective languages. The maximum numberof characters of a text data record is associated with a language ID onthe basis of these ratios.

[0163] (c) Change in number of characters from an original languagebefore translation to a destination language after translation FIG. 14is a diagram showing change in number of characters by translation fromJapanese into other languages.

[0164]FIG. 14 derives the ratio of change depending on languages, forexample, from experience of translation. The number of characters in alanguage after translation is obtained by means of a table having theseratios stored in it.

[0165]FIG. 14 shows respectively the ratios of English “1.3”, German“1.3”, . . . , Chinese “0.8” to Japanese “1”. These correspond todifferences in writing volume depending on characters written in therespective languages.

[0166] In master contents, a storage area is secured (set) according tothe expected maximum number of characters, but when the followingprocess is additionally performed, the maximum number of characters aresecurely dealt with.

[0167] First, it is judged whether or not the number of characters in adestination language after translation, said number being obtained bycomputation relative to the number of characters in an original languagebefore translation, falls within the maximum number of characters. Thatis to say, in case that said number falls within the maximum number ofcharacters, the translation is performed, and in case that said numberdoes not fall within the maximum number of characters, the number ofcharacters in the original language before translation is reduced asmodifying the writing so that its meaning does not change.

[0168] This modification is a human work.

[0169] Next, a master Web site, generation of master Web contents andgeneration of multilingual contents are described.

[0170]FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a processing state of generation ofmaster Web contents in a translation process.

[0171] Referring to FIG. 15, generation of master Web contents isstarted and whether or not it is new is judged (step S40), and in casethat it is new (S40: Yes), information of the new contents is generatedand stored temporarily into the multilingual processing database (stepS41). In case that it is not new (S40: No), the existing contentsinformation is acquired and stored temporarily into the multilingualprocessing database (step S42).

[0172] After generation of new contents information or after acquisitionof the existing contents information, a special HTML editor (editing)operation is performed (step S43). This special HTML editor operationexchanges and processes contents information with the multilingualprocessing database. Next, a screen confirmation is performed (stepS44), and completion of generation of the master Web contents is judged(step S45).

[0173] In case of no completion (S45: No), routines on and after thespecial HTML editor of S43 are repeated. In case of completion in stepS45 (Yes), addition, update and deletion of contents information in themultilingual processing database are performed and the process is ended(step S46).

[0174]FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a processing state of generation ofmultilingual contents in a translation process.

[0175] In FIG. 16, generation of multilingual contents is started, andcontents information is acquired from the multilingual processingdatabase and is stored temporarily in the multilingual processingdatabase (step S50). Next, information of an untranslated portion isautomatically extracted (step S51). Further, the untranslated portion isautomatically machine-translated into the respective languages (stepS52). Next, this automatic machine translation is confirmativelytranslated by a manual input operation.

[0176] This confirmative translation is performed through theabove-mentioned “multilingual translation network” in which translatorsperforming translation in many languages are organized on the Internet.That is to say, such a confirmative translation is performed throughallocating each language translation to a translator capable of copingwith it. Such a confirmative translation by a manual input operation isperformed by exchanging contents information with the multilingualprocessing database temporarily storing the language data fortranslation in it (step S53).

[0177] Next, the resulting data of a confirmative translation by amanual input operation are inserted into contents information (stepS54). The contents screen reflecting this translation result isconfirmed (step S55). Further, completion of insertion of the contentsinformation by the completed translation is judged (step S56). In caseof no completion in this judgement (S56: No), the routines on and afterthe confirmative translation by a manual input operation of step S53 arerepeated. In case of completion in step S56 (Yes), addition, update anddeletion of contents information in the multilingual processing databaseare performed and the process is ended (step S57).

[0178] Next, another embodiment of the present invention being incombination with a mobile communication network is described. Althoughthe above-mentioned embodiment has only a fixed communication network(digital wire communication circuit network 1, fixed general-purposesmall computers and the like) arranged in it, but can be applied also toa mobile communication network as it is. For example, it can be appliedto a case that a translation requester apparatus 4 side requesting atranslation needs translation in various explanations at a place (aforeign company, for example) where it has come, performs a translationrequest from this place and instructs transfer of the translated writingto this foreign company.

[0179] A mobile communication network can be applied also to amultilingual translation Web site apparatus 2 and a translator apparatus3 other than the translation requester apparatus 4 as it is.

[0180]FIG. 17 shows an example of a block diagram of the configurationof a main part of a mobile communication network.

[0181] This example comprises a digital mobile communication circuitnetwork 20 of a PDC (Personal Digital Cellar Telecommunication System)method, a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) method and the like connectedby a connection device (gateway device or PHS connection device) forperforming a communication protocol conversion and the like with thcdigital wire communication circuit network 1 shown in FIG. 1, and amobile terminal 21 as a radio communication means to be connected with acell base station 20 a through a radio channel. The mobile terminal 21has a mobile computer 22 connected to it.

[0182] This mobile terminal 21 is of an ordinary composition whichcomprises, for example, a transmitter/receiver part,modulator/demodulator part, time-division multiplexer part, Codec(coder/decoder) part, CPU, frequency change synthesizer, reception fieldstrength (RSSI) detector part, external device connection interfacepart, incoming indicator light emitting diode, keypad, liquid crystaldisplay device, incoming indication vibrator and the like. The mobilecomputer 22 is also of a similar composition to a general-purpose smallcomputer of the translator apparatus 3 and the like in FIG. 1.

[0183] A method of transmission between the digital mobile communicationcircuit network 20 and a mobile terminal 21 may be any of a TDMA (PDC)method, TDMA/TDD (PHS) method and CDMA method (IS-95/IMT-2000), and itsmodulation method (PSK method or the like) is not limited in particular.

[0184] The digital mobile communication circuit network 20 and a mobileterminal 21 communicate with each other through a digital mobilecommunication circuit network 3 by means of a radio interval (airinterface) of ARIB-27/28 standard (PDC method/PHS method), for example.It is preferable to apply the PHS method which can perform a broad-bandtransmission which is fast in data transfer rate in the present stateand makes it easy to access the Internet by means of the PIAFS (PHSInternet Access Forum Standard) method to this communication.

[0185] These mobile terminal 21 and mobile computer 22 perform“performance of multilingual translation of the present invention”described above through the digital mobile communication circuit network20.

[0186] In this embodiment, a variation example as described in thefollowing is also possible.

[0187] The digital wire communication circuit network 1 may use ananalog telephone network PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network), andas a circuit connection device in this case, an NCU (Network ControlUnit) and a modulator and demodulator (modem) may be used.

[0188] And the present invention can be also implemented by using adigital wire communication circuit network 1 in combination with acomputer-to-computer communication using a communication protocol suchas Z/YMODEM and the like in place of the TCP/IP transmission method.

[0189] And each apparatus of FIG. 1 may be formed into a duplexconfiguration composed of a current system and a spare system inconsideration of improving its transmission reliability and preventingloss of stored data on the Internet.

[0190] Additionally, the present invention is implemented by utilizingthe publicity (utilization by many unspecified persons) on the Internet,but can be applied also to a closed communication network being notopened to the public such as a company's Ethernet LAN, WAN (Wide AreaNetwork) having FDDI-LAN, and the like as it is.

[0191] And these embodiments have been described under the assumptionthat a program is installed by means of an FD (floppy disk), CD-ROM ordetachable memory, but such a program can be also installed by downloadthrough the Internet, for example.

[0192] The above application and variation examples can be easilycarried out by persons in the same field, and the application andvariation examples within the equal scope are all included in thepresent invention.

[0193] As apparently known from the above description, according to amethod for performing multilingual translation by means of acommunication network of the present invention, and a communicationsystem and information recording medium for the same method, it has beenmade practicable to quickly and inexpensively provide a translationservice in many languages without enlargement of its processing scaleand apparatus scale by means of one Web site (a single Website/firmware) consisting of one apparatus and one translationprocessing system on a communication network.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0194] The present invention can be applied to a method for performingmultilingual translation through a communication network, said methodperforming and providing a translation in many languages requested, byutilizing a communication network, and a communication network andinformation recording medium for the same method.

1. A method for performing multilingual translation through acommunication network, performing and providing a translation in manylanguages requested, said method comprising; a step of receivinglanguage data of a subject of translation, a step of changing itsprocessing form adaptively to the language of a subject of translationrequested, a step of automatically selecting language data fortranslation, a step of performing translation, a step of entering thetranslated data into a multilingual processing database, a step ofautomatically changing the processing form of translation adaptively toa language after translation, and a step of enabling a requester side toreceive the translated data.
 2. A method for performing multilingualtranslation through a communication network according to claim 1, saidmethod performing multilingual translation through a single Web siteconsisting of one apparatus and one translation processing system.
 3. Amethod for performing multilingual translation through a communicationnetwork according to claim 1, wherein said step of automaticallyselecting language data for translation generates language data andimage data being non-language data in master contents by means of atemplate.
 4. A method for performing multilingual translation through acommunication network according to claim 3, said method convertinglanguage data contained in said image data from a text form into abinary form and replacing the text-form data with the binary-form data.5. A method for performing multilingual translation through acommunication network according to claim 1, wherein said step ofperforming translation is an automatic machine translation and/or amanual input translation.
 6. A method for performing multilingualtranslation through a communication network according to claim 1, saidmethod giving a page record and a text record as contents informationfor processing each page in said multilingual processing database.
 7. Amethod for performing multilingual translation through a communicationnetwork according to claim 6, wherein said page record comprises; a pageID (page identification): a symbol number being unique to each page, alanguage ID: a symbol number defined for each language, a page address:URL of a home page, a date of generation: a date at which the page wasgenerated, a generator ID: a symbol number of a person who newlygenerated the page, a date of update: a date at which the page wasupdated last, an updater ID: a symbol number of a person who updated itlast, a customer ID: a symbol number assigned to each customer, and areceived order ID: a symbol number determined on reception of an order,HTML: a page source text in the form of HTML.
 8. A method for performingmultilingual translation through a communication network according toclaim 6, wherein said text record comprises; a text ID (textidentification): a symbol number which is unique to each text and is thesame in any language, a language ID: a symbol number defined for eachlanguage, the maximum number of characters: the maximum number ofcharacters capable of being displayed, the number of characters: thenumber of characters actually displayed, a character string: a characterstring in itself, and a translator ID: a symbol number determined foreach translator.
 9. A method for performing multilingual translationthrough a communication network according to claim 6, said methoddetermining in advance the ratio of the number of the smallest legiblefont characters to the number of characters being displayed on thescreen for each language, and associating the maximum number ofcharacters of a text data record with a symbol number defined for eachlanguage by means of this ratio.
 10. A method for performingmultilingual translation through a communication network according toclaim 8, said method obtaining the number of characters in a languageafter translation on the basis of a table storing in advance the ratioof change in number of characters in a language before translation andin a language after translation.
 11. A method for performingmultilingual translation through a communication network according toclaim 8, said method setting a storage area adaptively to said maximumnumber of characters, judging whether or not characters of a languageafter translation can be accommodated in the storage area of the maximumnumber of characters in comparison with the number of characters of thelanguage before translation through computing the number of charactersafter translation and, in case that the maximum number of charactersafter translation can be accommodated in the storage area, performingthe translation, and in case that the maximum number of characterscannot be accommodated in the storage area, reducing the number ofcharacters of the language before translation so as not to change themeaning.
 12. A method for performing multilingual translation through acommunication network according to claim 2, wherein; said Web siteconsisting of one apparatus and one translation processing systemperforms a multilingual translation process and its maintenance processand as said multilingual translation process, generates master contentsby means of a template, next translates language data of the mastercontents, repeats these generation and translation processes, stores thelanguage data together with control information into a multilingualprocessing database, further converts the language data into HTML dataand writes them into the master contents on request, and as saidmaintenance process, monitors change of the master contents,automatically selects a language data file needing to be translated,translates the language data, repeats these monitor, automatic selectionand translation processes for necessary languages, and reenters thetranslated language data into the multilingual processing database. 13.A method for performing multilingual translation through a communicationnetwork according to claim 1, said method exchanging data with adatabase management database and a contents language database throughsaid database access management process, performing requests includingreference, addition, update and deletion with respect to a multilingualprocessing database and the outside, and obtaining the respectiveresults of these requests through said database access managementprocess.
 14. A multilingual translation communication system forperforming and providing translation in many languages requested througha communication network, said multilingual translation communicationsystem comprising a multilingual translation Web site apparatus forfunctioning as a Web site composed of one apparatus and one translationprocessing system connected to a communication network and performing amultilingual translation, a plurality of translator apparatuses forperforming translation in many languages, and a plurality of translationrequester apparatuses for requesting the multilingual translation Website apparatus side of translation, wherein; said multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus receives language data of a subject oftranslation from a translation requester apparatus, changes itsprocessing form adaptively to the language of the subject of translationwhich the multilingual translation Web site apparatus has received, andautomatically selects language data for translation, and wherein saidtranslator apparatus performs translation of language data received fromsaid multilingual translation Web site apparatus, and said multilingualtranslation Web site apparatus receives translated data from saidtranslator apparatus and enters them into a multilingual translationprocessing database and automatically changes its translation processingform adaptively to the language after translation, and said translationrequester apparatus receives the translated data.
 15. A multilingualtranslation communication system according to claim 14, wherein saidmultilingual translation Web site apparatus is provided with a Webserver, and this Web server is provided with a master Web site portionfor processing master contents composed of language data and/ornon-language data and a multilingual processing database.
 16. Amultilingual translation communication system according to claim 14,wherein a net-bank apparatus which makes it possible to performsettlement of a transmission fee between said multilingual translationWeb site apparatus side and a translator apparatus side and/or betweenthe multilingual translation Web site apparatus side for performingtranslation and a translation requester apparatus side is furtherconnected to the communication network.
 17. A multilingual translationcommunication system according to claim 14, wherein said communicationnetwork is a public wire communication network or a public radiocommunication network or a non-public wire communication network or anon-public radio communication network under a TCP/IP environment.
 18. Amultilingual translation communication system according to claim 14,wherein at least one of said multilingual translation Web siteapparatus, said translator apparatus and said translation requesterapparatus is provided with a radio communication means for performing aradio-channel connection to a radio communication network under a TCP/IPenvironment.
 19. An information recording medium storing in it a programfor enabling a substantial computer to control; a process of receivinglanguage data of a subject of translation through a communicationnetwork, a process of changing its processing form adaptively to thelanguage of a subject of translation requested, a process ofautomatically selecting language data for translation, a process ofperforming a translation transferred through the communication network,a process of entering the translated data into a multilingual processingdatabase, a process of automatically changing its translation processingform adaptively to the language after translation, and a process ofenabling a requester side to receive the translated data through thecommunication network.
 20. An information recording medium according toclaim 19, said medium further storing in it a program for enabling asubstantial computer to control at least one of; a process of generatinglanguage data and image data being non-language data by means of atemplate, a process of converting language data contained in image datafrom a text form into a binary form and replacing the text-form datawith the binary-form data, a process of giving a page record and a textrecord as contents information for processing each page in amultilingual processing database, and a process of judging whether ornot characters to be obtained after translation can be accommodated in astorage area of the maximum number of characters through computing thenumber of characters after translation relative to the number ofcharacters of a language before translation.